World Wide Wave

Japan is known the world over for its conservative society – extreme politeness, respect for elders, family values. But if you dig a little deeper you might find a much more colourful and outrageous version. No…we’re not talking about karaoke! We’re talking about Japan’s Queer community.

The queer community may not be as visible as some other countries – even to the locals – but a new documentary has gone underground to explore its diversity. From drag queens, hidden bar districts, political activists, kink-positive hentai parties to the international erotic art of manga, Director Graham Kolbeins has found them all. And he has put them in a documentary called Queer Japan.

Listen to the week’s World Wide Wrap where we round up all that was in international LGBTIQ+ news for the week ending February 16, 2020.

World Wide Wave aims to promote awareness of international LGBT issues. Our program provides in-depth analysis and interviews. We focus on the challenges facing the global LGBT community as well as some of our successes.

We take pride in interviewing a wide range of international LGBT people and supporters including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.

Being a teenager is complicated enough, even before you throw sexuality into the mix. As a teenager, our parents are often the most important influence in our lives. But what happens when your parents place you into so-called gay conversion therapy because that’s what they feel is best for your life?

Benoit Berthe was 15 years old when he entered so-called gay conversion therapy in France. He has told his deeply personal story to the Parliament of France so that others won’t have to. It has been a journey of trauma and of strength. Hear how he and his parents faced off during France’s marriage equality debate, where their relationship is at now and the part that Harry Potter played in this saga.

Presenters – Matt and Barbara

This is the special extended interview – Gay Conversion Therapy in France with Benoit Berthe. This podcast includes additional content to that contained in the podcast and broadcast of World Wide Wave on February 4, 2020.

Being a teenager is complicated enough, even before you throw sexuality into the mix. As a teenager, our parents are often the most important influence in our lives. But what happens when your parents place you into so-called gay conversion therapy because that’s what they feel is best for your life?

Benoit Berthe was 15 years old when he entered so-called gay conversion therapy in France. He has told his deeply personal story to the Parliament of France so that others won’t have to. It has been a journey of trauma and of strength. Hear how he and his parents faced off during France’s marriage equality debate, where their relationship is at now and the part that Harry Potter played in this saga.

Interviewer – Stéphane Bouchoucha

Listen to the week’s World Wide Wrap where we round up all that was in international LGBTIQ+ news for the week ending February 9, 2020.

World Wide Wave aims to promote awareness of international LGBT issues. Our program provides in-depth analysis and interviews. We focus on the challenges facing the global LGBT community as well as some of our successes.

We take pride in interviewing a wide range of international LGBT people and supporters including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.

In our last show for the year we bring you more of the most fabulous, inspiring and engaging interviews for the year as we continue with the second part of the best of World Wide Wave for 2019.

Continuing the amazing line up, we have:

* Dastan Kasmamytov who is the first LGBTI person to come out publicly in Kyrgyzstan media and founder of the Pink Summits challenge.

* Hong Kong-based Australian, Bess Hepworth, who founded the global advocacy group Planet Ally with other queer women.

* Professor Paula Gerber who is from Monash University Law Faculty, the Carstan Centre for Human Rights and President of Kaleidoscope Australia Human Rights Foundation.

Broadcast: December 3, 2019

Listen to the week’s World Wide Wrap where we round up all that was in international LGBTIQ+ news for the week ending December 8, 2019.

World Wide Wave aims to promote awareness of international LGBT issues. Our program provides in-depth analysis and interviews. We focus on the challenges facing the global LGBT community as well as some of our successes.

We take pride in interviewing a wide range of international LGBT people and supporters including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.

World Wide Wave has been taking you around the globe one country at a time for the past 8 years. And as another year draws to a close, we thought we would bring you some of the most fabulous, inspiring and engaging interviews of 2019.

We have a stellar line up for you:

* You’ll hear from international LGBTI activist Peter Tatchell about his fascinating life and the part Melbourne played in making him an activist

* We speak to India’s first Transgender politician in the National Congress’s, Apsara Reddy

* And we look at male body image in the gay community with Dr Scott Griffiths from Melbourne University

Broadcast: November 26, 2019

Listen to the week’s World Wide Wrap where we round up all that was in international LGBTIQ+ news for the week ending December 1, 2019.

World Wide Wave aims to promote awareness of international LGBT issues. Our program provides in-depth analysis and interviews. We focus on the challenges facing the global LGBT community as well as some of our successes.

We take pride in interviewing a wide range of international LGBT people and supporters including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.

Two Saudi men, in a loving relationship for 16 years, lived a quiet and comfortable life together – avoiding attracting the kind of attention that could land them in jail, or even the death penalty, due to their relationship. But then, a series of circumstances changed their lives forever. In fear, they fled their home country and comfortable life… to Australia.

Expecting safe haven in Australia, on their arrival they experienced exactly what had driven them from their home country – detention. They CURRENTLY remain a victim of Australia’s immigration system. Their lawyer, Alison Battisson from pro-bono lawyers, Human Rights For All, joined us to tell their story.

Broadcast: November 19, 2019